A historic drop in the river is forcing officials to consider an unusually fast engineering response beside Bulgaria’s only nuclear power plant.
Bulgaria plans to build a 300-meter dam on the Danube near the Kozloduy nuclear power plant. The decision is being considered due to the sharp drop in the river’s water level, which could disrupt the stable water supply needed to cool the country’s only nuclear power plant.
Authorities are also assessing the possibility of supplying water from nearby reservoirs. Bulgarian Energy Minister Iva Petrova said on August 24 that construction of the protective structure could take up to two weeks.
Low Danube water levels have affected the energy sector
July’s drought caused the Danube’s water level to fall to its lowest point on record. The shallowing of the river created problems for shipping and trade, while also affecting nuclear power operations in Hungary and Romania.
Romania was forced to completely shut down its only nuclear power plant due to a water shortage. In Bulgaria, on August 21, the Kozloduy nuclear power plant reduced the output of one of its two reactors by around 9%. Each reactor has a capacity of 1,040 MW.
This was the first time in the plant’s 52 years of operation that electricity generation had been restricted due to extreme hydrological and weather conditions.
The dam is intended to stabilize the water supply for the Kozloduy nuclear power plant
Iva Petrova described the situation with the Danube’s water level as extreme, but noted that future forecasts are more favorable. The dam is expected to help maintain the required water level near the Kozloduy nuclear power plant and reduce the risk of further disruptions to electricity generation.
Bulgaria Plans to Build a Danube Dam to Protect Nuclear Power Plant from Disruptions